Chris Christie Got Offered 3 Donald Trump Jobs He Didn't Want. So Is He Staying?

Looks like Chris Gov. Christie may have made a decision about whether he's staying or leaving New Jersey to join the Trump administration. Or not.

Because, with the governor, it's always a little hard to tell.

President-elect Donald Trump offered Gov. Chris Christie at least three positions in his new administration, two sources told NJ Advance Media. But he turned them all down.

Those jobs included Homeland Security secretary and Veterans Affairs secretary, as well as U.S. ambassador to Italy, according to the report. But Christie really wanted to become U.S. attorney general - which was awarded to Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions.

Then he strongly pushed for chairman of the Republican National Committee. But it looks like he's not going to get that, either.

It now looks entirely conceivable the governor will indeed remain in New Jersey to finish out his second and final term, which ends in January 2018.

Christie has been dogged by the "Bridgegate" George Washington Bridge lane-closing political payback scheme, and he could be appearing in court as early as January to respond to a citizen's complaint of official misconduct in connection with the scandal.

Even with these personal crises, Christie has campaigned heavily for the RNC job, according to NJ Advance Media, but he and Trump last week came to the decision mutually to remove the governor from consideration.

Just days after announcing during a press conference last week that he's "not going anywhere," Politico reported that Christie had engaged in a "full-court press" with senior members of Trump's presidential transition team in hopes of getting the chairmanship of the Republican National Committee.

He would have succeeded Reince Priebus, who is leaving the chairmanship to serve as Trump's chief of staff.

The question would have been, if he were to accept the post, would he serve full time and resign as governor, or would he do it while serving as New Jersey's chief executive - just as Debbie Wasserman Schultz did when she served as chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee while also working as a member of Congress?

Some, like former DNC Chair Howard Dean, have said the position of party leader is no longer a part-time position - which is why he has campaigned for himself to succeed Schultz in the DNC post full-time.

Efforts to obtain comment from Christie or his spokesman were unsuccessful at press time. You can read the full Politico article by clicking here.

During an earlier press conference, Christie practically ended speculation that he would be leaving office to serve in the Trump administration, telling a press gathering: "I am not going anywhere."

"For those of you looking forward to me leaving before January 2018, sorry to disappoint you," the governor told a press gathering Tuesday (see video below), where he took no questions.

Christie, however, made the announcement after a list of grievances and failures regarding his leadership performance were made public, possibly dooming his chances in the Trump administration, according to an expansive New York Times analysis.

Christie already lost his job as Trump's transition chairman earlier this month, and some of his appointments drew criticism from people outside and inside Trump's inner circle. Christie also met with Trump for about 20 minutes last week in what was viewed as one of the shortest transition meetings Trump has had.

Read more: Christie's Chances With Trump May Be Doomed: List of Grievances, Failures Reported

"Bridgegate" troubles have also resurfaced. Christie has agreed to appear in court after getting a criminal summons for official misconduct allegations connected to the scandal, according to court documents.

Christie was scheduled to appear in state Superior Court in Hackensack, Bergen County, on Nov. 23, but Judge Bonnie Mizdol signed an order setting oral arguments for Jan. 11.

Here is a video of the Tuesday press conference:

Patch file photo